Apparatus for deshaling gravel



Dea 31, 1935;

` c. H. YoU-Nc;V 250125,841

. APPARATUS FOR DESHALIN@ GRAVEL Filed May 25, 1951 2 Sheets-sheet l131,1935. v Y QH, YOUNG .n

APPARATUS FOR DSHALING GRAVEL Fiied May 25,` 1951 `2 sheets-sheet .a

Patented Dec. 31, 1935 PArENTpoFI-*ICE j APPARATUS Fon nEsHALnvGrolmvnr. charles n. rmamnneapolis, Minn. applicati-n my 25,.,if931',serial No. 539,944

5 (ci. 20s-15s) i f The invention relates to the washing., of gravel orother'substances in which vvarious impurities and foreign substances,such as shale, lignite, bark, water-logged wood, and coal, are removedfrom the gravel by properly directed fluid currents, and has forits'objects to provide new and useful'improvements in apparatus of thischaracter.

An important object of the invention isto provide a shale removingdevice which may be removably secured to gravel washing apparatus ofknown and generally used types, forA the eicient and complete removal ofthe described impurities or deleterious foreign substances. Theseimpurities are usually of less specific gravity than the gravel to'bewashed and therefore react favorably to suitably disposed water or fluidcurrents during the cleansing of the gravel.

' Y A further object of" the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described in which a plurality of separate uid currents areutilized and so disposed and combined as to cooperate with one anotherfor the removal of practically all of the lighter impurities.k

A still further object is'the provision of means for a more thorough anddesirable general washing of the gravel or othermaterial to be treated.

v A `still further object is justable means for controlling the rate ofow of the gravel or other material removing device, thereby adapting theappara-- tus for the thorough cleansing of gravel in which foreignmaterials are portions.

With such objects 'in view, as well .as lother present in varyingproadvantages which may be incident to the use of' the improvements, theinvention consists in the parts and combinations thereof `hereinafterset forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessaryelements constituting the same may be varied in proportions andarrangement without\departin`g from the natin'e and i I'. k

practical e'ect, without ments, in their useful applications, to theparticscope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shownin the accompanyingi drawings means for carrying the same into limitingthe improveular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation,have been ade the subject of illustration.

In the said drawings: Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal gravel washingapparatus constructed andl designed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is aplan view of the front portionof the same. o, Fig. 3 is aview in perspective, partly in vertical section of the improved shaleremoving device the provision of ad.

through the shale section of a 2 walls 2, a forward or end wall 3 'andan upwardly l and rearwardly` inclined bottom wall Il. The washed gravelis conveyed rearwardly and upwardly by means of apairfof screw conveyers5 or other suitable power driven conveying devices. The forward ends ofthe conveyershafts 6 project l0 through the front wall 3 of the washerand arel journaledin bearings or stumng boxes 1 secured to the wall 3 ofthe washer.. L4Suitable gearing (not shown) is connected to the oppositevends of the shafts 6 for driving the conveyers. 'The l5 washer I is ormay be lsupported jinl the position illustrated by standards or framesupports 8.

'Ihe gravel to be washed and which contains various deleterious\substances vor foreign materials of lighter weight than the gravel isindicated n at 9 and initially enters the washing apparatus ward wall ofthe washer at its upper end.

The shale removing device which constitutes an important feature of the\present improvements, is indicated generally at I4, and is designed tobe removably positioned at the forwardend of the tank I. The shaleremoving 'device includes a relatively shallow pan or receptacle havingside walls I5' provided with" outwardly projecting' 40 flanges I6, arear wall I1 and a downwardly projecting discharge hopper ljatitsforward end. The forward end of the shale remover is supported on thelip 40 of the tank by means of the shoulders or wings Ilia, one at eachside ofthe 45 device, and the rear-,portion of the flangesV `I6 f theshale remover is secured 'to a transverse member or. support IIib whichis inturn secured-as at I6c to the side walls 2 of the washer tank I.VThe receptacle I4 further comprises a bottom Hwalll 9 50 and a secondgravelsupporting wall orf-surface 20 spaced therefrom and constitutingin effect a false bottom converging orinclining downwardly toward itsforward end and-towardthe bottom wall or plate I9, and forming aclosedconduit I 9a 5l' the forward extremities of said plates forming-arelatively restricted and elongated aperture or orifice 2|. The rearwall I 8a of the hopper-I8 terminatesv at its upper end below theforward y extremity of the lower plate I9, as best seen in ai Fig. 3,thereby providing a second elongated aperture 22 immediately below themore restricted orifice 2 I. The forward wall |8b of the hopper |8 isinclined downwardly and rearwardly towards the rear wall |8a to providea relatively narrow gravel discharge opening 23. s

A movable baffle plate 24 having upwardly projecting side supports 25 isor may be normally disposed adjacent the forward wall |8b of the Yhopper I8, and is supported by suitable bolts or fastening means 26projecting through the side walls I5 of the receptacle and throughelongated apertures 21 one formed in each support 25. The

baille 24 may be adjustably positioned in the hopper relative to thewalls |8a and |8b thereof by means of a bolt or fastening device 28engaging the recess or slot 21 in each side supportingmember 25 and alsoprojecting through an elongated recess or slot 29 in a bracket member30, one se cured in position on each flange I6 of the side walls I5 ofthe receptacle. -In this manner the baille 24 may be swung about itspivots 26 towards or away from the wall |8b of the hopper, or raised andlowered with respect thereto by reason of the` porting plate or surface20.

A second source of water or other fluid `supply under regulated pressureAis provided in the form of a substantially horizontally disposed pipe34 immediately below the outlet 23 of the hopper I8.

The supply of uid to the pipe 34 may be con-` trolled by means of avalve 35 and an elongatedV restricted aperture 36 in said pipe ispositioned adjacent the dischargeoutlet 23 and extends a distancesubstantially equal to the longitudinal extent of said discharge outlet.In this manner it will be noted that the fluid supply to the pipe 34 isdirected upwardly under regulated pressure in a relatively thin sheet orstream in a direction counter to that of material descending by gravitythrough the hopper |8. l

A third source of water or otheruid supply enters the bottom of the.washer I through a supply pipe 31 extending transversely across thefront of the washer and communicating with one or more pipes orconduitsv 38 disposed near and substantially parallel to the bottomsurface 4 of the washer and adjacent or between the screw conveyers 5.-The pipe or conduit 38 is provided along its upper surface with aplurality of spaced apertures 39 @through which the fluid is directedupwardly under regulated pressurethrough the body of material beingcarried rearwardly by the conveyers 5. All of the described sources offluid may have their individual valve devices and may be connected ifdesired to a common supply pipe in the operation of the apparatus whichwill now be described.

The washer or tank I is filled with water or other uid, the liquid levelbeing indicated at 4| in Fig. 1. Suitable supplypipes, not shown, arepreferably utilized for this purpose. gravel 9 containing impuritiesvand relatively light foreign substances to be removed descends The bygravity through the chute In. Adjustably s mounted diverting plates ordevices 42 serve to level and distribute the gravel in a relatively thinsheet as it descends to the forward end of the delivery `chute I0.'Ihence the gravel enters the 5 shale remover proper over the rear wallI1 thereof and descends down the inclined supporting surface 20 and isdischarged by ,gravity over the forward end of said plate into thehopper I8. At this point of entrance into the hopper 10 the descendingstream of gravel encounters a relatively thin sheet of water underconsiderable pressure which is projected across the entrance into thehopper through the restricted aperture 2| of .the shale remover. vThissheetof water l5 encounters the shale\lignite, bark and other impuritiesand projects a considerable portion of the same across the entrance ofthe hopper and over the discharge .lip 40 and thence out of the Washer..Coincidentally an upwardly directed 20 stream of water or other fluidfromthe elongated orifice 36 in supply pipe 34 encounters the descendinggravel and forcibly ejects. certain of the lighter materials andimpurities -which have passed below the horizontally directed stream of25 water from pipe 3|. Such lighter materials as are encountered by theupwardly projected stream are conveyed out. of the Washer over thedischarge lip 40 together With the rst mentioned impurities,`thehorizontally directed stream from 30 pipe 3| assisting in said ejection.rlhe washed gravel which is now substantially free of im` puritiesaccumulates as at I I in the forward portion of the washer and iscontinuously removed upwardly andrearwardly thereof by the con- 35veyers 5. During its travel toward the discharge j opening I3 of thewasherthe'gravel encounters4 the upwardly directed and spaced jets orstreams of water from the apertured .pipe or pipes 38. These lattermentioned streams carry upwardly 40 any remaining impurities andconveythe same through the elongated aperture 22 adjacent the entranceto the hopper I8 and such remaining impurities are discharged out of thewasher bythe described counter-streams of water from the-45 pipes 3| and34.v The gravel I2 which is discharged from the washer has beenthoroughly cleansed of and freed from all objectionable matter in themanner described. The combination of the three separately directedcurrents in direc- 50 tion counter ortransverse to that of the passageof the gravel are so associated and combined as to obtain highlysuccessful results in the removal of all impurities. It will be furthernoted that the horizontally and vertically directed streams 55 of waterfrom pipes 3| and 34 respectively converge at the point where the impuregravel is first admitted to the washer toa'iord a maximum pressure, atthis point,` immediately 'adj'acelll-illei discharge outlet 40, andwhere the maximum 60 amount of impurities are present, 'I'he separationat this point is facilitated by the intermedi-A ate current flow fromthe washer proper through the aperture 22 of the shale removing device.v The direction of such flow is toward the over- 65 flow 40 andtransversely to that of the gravel entering the chute or hopper |8. Thearea of the hopper I8 may be varied by adjustingA the baille 24 toincrease or diminish the width of the p hopper dependent upon existingconditions and 70 2,025,841 `the descent of gravel is retarded by thebaille plate.

A further advantage resulting from the described arrangement is that theoutward flow of water and impurities through the intermediate aperture22 is augmented orin'duced byjthfe adjacent and angularly disposedconverging fluid currents from pipes 3| and 34. A suction is therebyinduced at the point 22 by these latter currents, which serve to promotethe ow of water through the aperture 22 in the manner of a venturi or onthe atomizing principle. Said intermediate upward current ow from thewasher through the port 22 is initially induced by the upwardlyprojected jets of water through the spaced apertures 39 in the supplypipe 38. The residual impurities in the gravel and which are oi. lessspecific gravity are carried by said jets to and through the port22 andinto contact with the upwardly and outwardly directed streams from pipes34 and 3|, and are removed from the washer by said latter streams.

The washing device or shale remover constituting the presentimprovements is equally eilicient in the reclaiming of low grade ironorei Instead of utilizing the screw conveyers 5 in the apparatus, flightconveyers or bucket elevators may be substituted with equal advantageousresults. The device obviates the jnecessity of using jigs or shakingscreens heretofore commonly used for the removal of these lighterimpurities from the gravel.

What I claim-is:

l. In an apparatus for separating impurities from gravel: Thecombination ofa gravel washing tank, a deshaling device removablypositioned on said tank, said deshaling device having a gravel receivingsurface terminating in a hopper communicating with said tank, means forfeeding gravel mixed with impurities to said surface to be received bysaid hopper, means for directing a. vjet of washing fluid through saiddeshaling device in ahorizontal direction beneath said receiving surfaceand out of contact with said material, means for directing a jet ofwashing'fluid= in a vertical direction through said hopper in contactwith the oppositely moving flow of said material, and means in said tankfor directing an intermediate current of washing fluid from said tanktoward said deshaling device intermediate said horizontal andvertical-jets, said jets and current of washing material converging andimpinging upon said material at the entrance to said hopper, whereby thelighter materials are diverted laterally from said hopper and dischargedfrom said tank.

2. In an apparatus, for separating impurities from gravel: thecombination of a gravel washing tank, a deshaling device removablypositioned on said tank, said deshaling device having a fluid -conduitand a gravel receiving surface terminating in a hopper communicatingwith said tank, means for feeding gravel mixed with impurities to saidsurface to be received by said hopper, a pipe for directing a jet ofwashing fluid through said deshaling device in a horizontal directionbeneath said receiving surface toward said hopper and out of contactwith said material, apipe in said tank for directing a jet of washingfluid in an upward direction through said hopper in contact with adownwardly moving ilow of material, and a pipe in said tank having a.plurality of spray orifices for directing an intermediate current ofwashing fluid upwardly through said tank toward said deshaling deviceintermediate said horizontal and vertical jets, said jets and currentsof washing iluid converging and `impinging upon said material attheentrance to said hopper, whereby the lighter materials aredivertedflaterally from said' hopper -and discharged from said tank.

k3. In a'gravel .washing apparatus including a washer tank: a deshalingdevice removably positioned on said tank for receiving the gravel to bewashed,qsaid device consisting of a gravel receiving surfaceterminatingat' its forward end in an angularly4 disposed and downwardly projectinghopperand a closeduid conduit beneathsaid gravelreceiving surface, saidhopper being open at its lowerend' to discharge washed gravel by gravityinto said tank, means disposed below said hopper for. directing a jet ofWashingafluid in a vertical direction through the open lower end of said hopper in contact with said gravel to elevatelighter impuritiestherefrom before the gravel'passes from the device to said washer tank,

and means for directing a washing fluid in a ing surface terminating atits discharge end in an angularly disposed anddownwardly projecting openended hopper, a closedv fluid conduit beneath said gravel receivingsurface, said hopper being open at its lower enifitol discharge washedgravel by gravity intosaid tank," `means for directing a lwashingiluidina horizontal direction through. said fluid kconduit into contactwith the gravel at the discharge'lnd of said gravel receiving surface'to` separatefrom the gravel the material of less speciiic'gjravity, andan adjustable baille plate` pivotallymounted on said device anddepending.-

into 'said hopper for regulating the flow of gravel through said hopperin contact with said washing fluid. 5. A deshaling device for' removableattachment to gravel washing tanks, designed to be removably positionedon said tanks, comprising in combination: a frame member open at its topand having side walls and a rear wall and a gravel receiving surfaceinclined forwardly and downwardly from said rear wall, a downwardlyprojecting open ended discharge hopper at the forward end of said devicefor receiving' material from said surface, a fluid projecting chamberbeneath and secured tc said receiving surface communicating at itsdischarge end with the upper end of said hopper, means for conducting awashing fluid under pressure into said chamber, and an adjustable baillemember pivotally mounted on the side walls of said frame and dependingin said hopper for controlling the amount of material received therein,whereby said fluid is directed only against material after passing fromsaid receiving surface into saldhopper to direct lighter impurities inthe` materialaway'from said hopper,

' andthe washed heavier'niaterial is discharged by

